Defined Growth of E. coli and Relatives: Culturing enteric bacteria on a chemically defined medium with 0.4% glucose for reproducible growth.

Auxotroph/Prototroph Selection: Screening and selection by omitting or supplementing specific nutrients on a minimal background containing thiamine.

Carbon Source Utilization Assays: Assessing metabolic pathways and catabolite repression using 0.4% glucose as the defined carbon source.

Genetic Screening and Mapping: Replica plating, conjugation (Hfr) selections, and recombination studies on minimal agar.

Plasmid Selection on Minimal Background: Maintaining/selecting plasmids when antibiotics are added, minimizing background growth and metabolic variability.

Mutation and Reversion Assays: Measuring mutation rates and selecting revertants using defined nutrient limitations.

Reporter and Promoter Studies: Evaluating nutrient-regulated promoters and gene expression under defined glucose and ion conditions.

Colony Isolation and CFU Enumeration: Quantifying viable cells and isolating clones under controlled minimal conditions.

Bacteriophage Work (Bottom Agar): Using as bottom agar for phage overlay assays with E. coli hosts.

Physiology and Transport Studies: Probing Mg2+/Ca2+-dependent processes with 1.0 mM MgSO4 and 0.1 mM CaCl2 in a defined matrix.